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Grove continues world tour in Japan

Less than a month after hurtling through the world-famous Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps, Australian Porsche racer Stephen Grove will this weekend add the picturesque Fuji Speedway to his list of tracks on which he has raced a 911 GT3 Cup car.

The Victorian, who currently leads Porsche Carrera Cup Australia’s TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge standings, has arrived in Japan for his next Porsche one-make series challenge – racing in the joint Porsche Carrera Cup Asia & Japan event at the world-class Fuji Speedway.

Earlier in the month Grove ventured to Belgium to race with Porsche Carrera Cup France, joined on track by Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Benelux, at the world-renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Grove then returned to Australia to team with Supercars driver Tim Slade for the Carrera Cup Pro-Am round, where the duo qualified on pole position before taking second in class and fourth outright for the weekend.

Grove is now in Japan, where he will be part of the Carrera Cup Asia championship, and is excited to continue to broaden his international experience in the familiar 911 GT3 Cup race car.

“I’m really excited about racing at Fuji. From what I can see, the circuit is fast and flowing and a lot like both Spa and Phillip Island. Being a Formula 1 circuit, the curbs are all quite flat so, to get a good lap time, you have to be committed and keep up your speed,” said Grove.

“I’ve spent some time on the simulator on the circuit and I can’t wait to get on the track itself this weekend. It will be another amazing international one-make experience and a great warm up for Sepang, which is another fast, flowing Formula 1-style circuit.”

Grove also stressed the benefit of jumping into familiar machinery on a foreign circuit.

“Can’t overemphasise enough the thrill and ability of being able to jump into a Carrera Cup car overseas and know how it performs, where all the buttons are and how to adjust the seats. You might not know the circuit, but you’re already comfortable in the car and you know how to get the most out of it. It’s not like you’re jumping into a random GT car that takes you the whole event to become familiar with; you’re on the pace straight away.

“Spa was a tremendous experience and I’m sure Fuji will be no different.”

Both Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Porsche Carrera Cup Japan will each hold two races individually before the two grids combine for one joint race to conclude the weekend.